Roof support for underground chambers



2 A98 1927 J. s. PAH-:s

'ROOF surron'r FOR UNDERGROUND cm'zns Filed Aug. 19. 1926 FIGl.

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wlr/vsssss Patented Au, `i?, 1927.

@UNITED n 'ST-ATV.

EVS i PATENT oFric-E.

yJiiivins sxrAfrns, oiijwasirine'roir, PENNSYLVANIA.'

` 'ROOF SUPPORT UNDERGROUND GTi-IAMBERS.

Applcationiled August 19, 1926,. `Serial No. 130,222. n

My invention relates to iinpioif'enjients `in supports tor the rool's .o'l `undereround chambers. It is intendeifl primarily toi-use in such relatively temporary situations as are cxeinpliliedin coal mines, and appli cable therein. supportino `the roots ot entries and chambers. Its advantalsies are its adaptability togspaces of varying and oif ,indeter-y rrIhe invention is illustrated in the accomy Fig. I is a vi-eiv in versection. illustrating entryv havingr my panying drawings. tical and transverse diagrammatically .a mine invention applied to it; Fie'. II is a vieu7 to larger scale and' in side lelevation ot the component members of ymy root-supporting structure; Fig. III is avieiv in side and end elevation of 'a bearing; block preferably employed as a base or rest; and Fig. IV is ar view in transverse section (in a plane Which is radial with respect to the center of curvature) of the root-supportine ystructure assembled. Figs. III and IV are to larger scale still thanv FigQII.

I have developed my invention in its application in coal mines. These mines en? tend for long distances horizontally under ground. In the Working et the mines, passapgeivajvs and rooms are opened, tolloivinn' the vein of coal. It .is necessary, particularly in the entries, which have to be kept open durino` the yWorking ot reinoter parts of the mine. and through which sate passageivav must be maintained toi' men and materials, to provide timbers. Such a root is required, to prev-ent the 'falling` ot loosened slabs of slate or other material, which otherwise liable to 'tall constitute a danger to lite and to tree and open passage. Hithcrto. as alreadyI have intimated, such timber roots Within mine spaces have ordinarily been carried on posts. and these` posts resting on the tloor of the passanje and ranged alone' the Walls` have diminished the eitl'ective width of the passageivav by an amount equal to their thickness, or. rather. since a row otposts stands against either wall, by an amount equal to twice the .of them at a. xvell supported root oty ysection may rlit Within` another.

abb extending mid-Web and downwardly extend post thickness. yFurthermore,y posts are eX- p-ensive, and iii kcontinued service have to be renewed. with incidental labor. y

In Fig. I, C indicates a vein ot coal, and S the strataot slate oi' other overlying dc posits. Eisthe mine openiiig'aud it will be understood that this may be anfentry, pas- `sageway,room, or other space. y

`.Instead ot liningfth-e opposite Walls ot opening;v

E with postsT to carry transverse beams for the support ot' the root timbers, I provide beams which at their 'ends may rest in recesses termed in the opposite Walla and `in the upper part ot the cliamber. to receive them. The beams of my invention l areextensible and so variable and adjustable in length. and by virtue kot (this characteristic they ma)7 be accurately placed and supported as Ihave`,iust indicated. Furthermore, the beams oit my invention are arch-' shaped` and by vii-tuent this shape they are more firmly secured at their ends and stronger to carry Weight placed upon them, e

and allor-dk increased head room. A beam ot my invention is in Fie. I indicated at l. and itcarries theroot timbers 2. The beam extends transversely ot the opening E and rests? at its ends in recesses in the rock formed to receive it. The timbers 2 extend longitudinally immediately beneath the root ot the mine cavity where they take imme-` diately the burden ot any massloosened from the overlying strata S.

Turning' to Figs. II and IV it iste be remarked of the beam l that it is compound, and in this instance composed ot' three scctions 11. l2. and 13. The ends ot the sections overlap and arepinned together by pins which conveniently take the 'torni ot' bolts Iii. `Pin-holesl5 are provided, groups uniformly spaced intervals, and by such means the compound beam is adjustable in leurth and its component members may be secured toconstitute a strong inte- `gral element. ot any particular length Within the range provided and int-ended.' @uchv step-by-step adjustaliility afforded by successionso't equally7 .spaced pin-holes is adequate to the service contemplated.

Strength is preferably Agiven yto the beam by forming; it off channel iron` and in usine;

dit'--` channel iron the component sections are ferent in dimensions. to the end that one Pret-firthe channel is placed with horizontally lOO riioy tures clearly appear in Fig IV. A single pin I4 may extend across the channel and through aligned openings in thel opposite pairs of overlapping flanges (as shown in Fig. IV), or, manifestly, shorter pins may unite each overlapping` pair of flanges. In installation a plurality of pins inlongitudinal succession `preferably unites the overlapping ends of thesections.

The structure as a Whole is arch-shaped, more effectively to sustain the burden, more firmly to rest upon its support, and affording increased head room.

The sill plates 3 are not essential; preterably, how-ever, they rare provided. They consist merely of short lengths of angle iron placed in recesses or notches in the ivall toward the upper part of the openingl E forme-d to receive the ends ot' the beams l and to carry the structure. They serv to spread the thrust strains and to afford a rmer structure. Y Y

The greater the load upon the roo't' the firmer the anchorage of the ends of the beam. In particular locations it may be desirable because of the crumbling nature of the deposits or for other reasons, more firmly to secure the ends of the beam,'lest, even when Vbearing no considerable load, the crumbling away of the Wall may cause loosening. It'

is entirely possible under conditions auch Ar`s those suggest-ed to make the anchorage more secure by driving a kpin obliquely into the coal beneath the end of the beam, and in the position indicated at, Fig. I.

Manifestly my invention is applicable generally, in the support of the roofs of underground chambers.

Vber, and load supporting members resting on the beam.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES S. PATES. 

